Meet Annie Cavanagh of Annie Cav Hair Salon Studio and Melrose Vintage Market

Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Cavanagh.

Annie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As a military brat, my family moved around a bit, but I certainly call Phoenix my home. I live and own businesses in central Phoenix and Melrose specifically has been my stomping grounds for many years.

After graduating from Xavier College Prep and attending a short stint at ASU, I realized traditional school wasn’t for me, and I decided to fulfill my childhood dream of being a hairdresser. I graduated from the Carsten Institute and never looked back. That seems like a long time ago- I’ve now been licensed for 17 years.

I’ve worked as an assistant, a commission stylist, a booth renter, multiple chair salon owner, and now private studio stylist. I have been honored enough to be included in the Toni&Guy Academy Professional Advisory Committee, guest artist educator, salon Artistic Director, and most recently a panel guest and presenter for geek weddings and wigs at ComicCon.

My current studio space has been operating for the last two years, and I host the Melrose Vintage Market in the parking lot of our plaza.

Market:
My business partner Kevin and I decided to create a neighborhood market at our building to bring a sense of community and interaction to the Melrose District. Our focus is on the sustainability of vintage dealing, driving local economy with local vendors and artists, and giving Melrose even more reasons to walk their neighborhood and enjoy our pocket of the city.

As a salon and vintage store owner, I had to learn a lot very quickly about how to host a market event and keep the quality and content of vendors at a certain level. I introduced a jury process in order to curate a specific type of vendor, concentrating on local vintage sellers and pickers, especially those who are only selling locally online, as well as a small group of handmade art, food, and other oddities. This jury process has been the foundation of our success, assuring us a distinction from a swap meet or yard sale.

Our vintage dealers carry anything from furniture and decor, vinyl, jewelry, and the best vintage clothing dealers in Central Phoenix. Melrose Vintage Market hosts handmade sellers, local bakers and food vendors, and we are dog-friendly too. We also welcome any local artists who upcycle, reinvent and repurpose all sorts of lost and lonely vintage oddities into something new and beautiful.

Many processes we created have had a profound impact on our market vendors, and I believe this to be the reason for our success. Reliable communication, active event admins, and social media marketing have given the vendors all they need to pack up less than they came with and have them coming back month after month.

The best decision I have made so far was to add a social media manager to our team. Abigail has drummed up so much attention, interest and presence online, and her impact is clear and evident. Our foot traffic has doubled since her arrival to the team and our marketing is much more consistent and inspired. As for vendors, we have been getting lots of attention and applications, and Melrose Vintage Market is bigger already than we ever imagined in our inaugural season. Our first market event was 49 vendors, and we consistently sell out of our vendor spaces at 67+, depending on how creative I can get with placement.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Is it ever a smooth road? It’s not easy breaking free as an LGBT, free-spirited artist in a catholic military household. Just saying.

Remembering to enjoy the journey is the tough part of self-actualization. I bounced around in many different types of salons: glitzy, high-end, urban, avant garde, the whole of the industry. I’ve stylied Scottsdale Fashion Week, Raw Artists Phoenix, Pilates Magazine, Java Magazine, and Blum. I’ve learned to take great comfort in variety, so while I enjoy editorial and backstage work, I also really really love being at my chair with my amazing clients.

But I needed more. I’ve got this thing, this… entrepreneurial spirit, as they say. I’d joined the Board of the Seventh Avenue Merchants Association. I got involved in the business community. I got more ideas. Product development, game design, costuming, crafts, oh my! Then, it became time to create the Melrose Vintage Market.

Market:
There have been SO many trials and errors. Lucky for me, I’m very flexible. This market, however, has really tested my agility with administrative work. I have an amazing group of business owner women who have helped coach and mentor me throughout this season (shout out: #siphappens ladies!) and have helped me learn new ways of growing, even if it’s just a pep talk.

Not all the struggles have been minor, but only one somewhat major one comes to mind. A NakedMan decided to grace our event one month, and being a bouncer wasn’t exactly on my list of new things to learn! Dealing with the public on a wider scale than I do in my daily business has certainly been a challenge. Honestly, getting a whole row of the vendors’ 10×10 pop ups to fit in parking spaces that are only 9′ wide seems to be the regular challenge, and so I add “space management” to my list of things to learn. I can only get better.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Annie Cav Hair Salon Studio and Melrose Vintage Market – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of  and what sets you apart from others.
I love doing hair. Playing with it all day, really, I love to destroy stereotypes about dumb hairdressers all day long, and I do it best by sharing my excitement about the math and science of what I do with anyone in my chair who shows interest. Educating my clients is a top priority.

I specialize in many areas with hair. Vintage styling, corrective color are just a few. I love them all, and I never get bored.

The thing I like most about my work right now is the ever expanding type of client the universe is sending me. My trans clients are the ones who have the most impact on me and my work, and I love that I have the opportunity to provide a private space to rest in themselves and radically self-express. Nothing is ever taboo with me.

I offer my clients my undivided attention, an eye for detail, quality work and a fully engaged stylist. I want all my clients to know they are my favorite person when they are in my chair, even if they’re new. I want everyone to know how it feels to be included.

Market: I am so proud of myself with the market. I’ve never done something like this before, and it’s working! It’s a great feeling.

As we’re in our first season, I’d like to think we’re known for being a fun place to bring your friendly dogs, hang out with the locals and grab some good grub while you shop and support our local economy. maybe we’re known for being a fun free thing to do once a month. These are all the things that set us apart!

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
As far as the salon goes, I’m interested in having more presence on YouTube doing client a stylist education and sharing my story of being a hairdresser to being a boss. It’s a scary step! I have plans to expand back into a multi chair salon again, traveling more for work, and keeping up on my workforce development courses so I can reach the stars.

I’m getting married in May! that is my big plan at the moment!

I have big plans for the Market in the upcoming seasons. Adding a farmer’s market and expanding to the north side of the building are on the agenda, as well as some other brainstorming ideas which you’ll just have to come and see!

Pricing:

• Salon Consultations – Always FREE!
• Average Cut + Color Price – ~$250
• Melrose Vintage Market – Always FREE!

Contact Info:

• Address: 700 W. Campbell Ave
  Phoenix AZ 85013
• Website: styleseat.com/anniecav / MelroseVintageMarket.com
• Email: anniecavhair@gmail.com / melrosevintagemarket@gmail.com

Image Credit:
Photo taken by Abigail Spong

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